


The Sorting Hat Never Mentioned This

by bellatrix0818



Series: Hiatus [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, The Good Place (TV)
Genre: Angst, Bellatrix is supposed to be in the Bad Place, Everything else in Harry Potter still happens, F/F, Fluff, Implied Eleanor/Tahani, Implied/Referenced Past Self-Harm, Past Child Abuse, Romance, Sorry if it's OOC, Soulmate AU (Sorta), if you haven't seen The Good Place watch it, occasional language, you won't understand this fic if you haven't seen The Good Place
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-18
Updated: 2020-03-08
Packaged: 2020-10-19 12:31:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 10,862
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20657306
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bellatrix0818/pseuds/bellatrix0818
Summary: Hermione didn't think it was possible.She was supposed to be here, but she didn't think the person standing in front of her was supposed to be.Because the person standing in front of her was Bellatrix Lestrange.





	1. What is She Doing Here?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was the flash of green that alerted everyone that someone had used the killing curse. Momentarily pausing their fighting, people looked over in the direction that the light had come from. 
> 
> Silence overtook the crowd as they realized who had been the victim of the unforgivable curse. 
> 
> Hermione Granger lay on the cold, stone floor of the once lively place, dead.

It had all happened so quickly.

She had been dueling Rowle in the Great Hall during the Battle of Hogwarts. 

So many others had been fighting that barely anyone realized the two had been dueling in the back of the room. 

Despite having kept her defenses up, she was becoming more tired by the second and her shielding charms began weakening. 

Rowle seemed to be gaining more strength from seeing the girl lose energy and his curses became more powerful. 

She had tried to fire a hex at the man but missed. Rowle had fired so quickly, she hadn’t had time to put up a barrier between them.

It was the flash of green that alerted everyone that someone had used the killing curse. Momentarily pausing their fighting, people looked over in the direction that the light had come from. 

Silence overtook the crowd as they realized who had been the victim of the unforgivable curse. 

Hermione Granger lay on the cold stone floor of the once lively place, dead.

* * *

When she opened her eyes, she found herself in a small room sitting on a couch. On the wall in front of her, she read the words 'Everything is Fine' painted in bold, green letters. 

She sat for a moment staring at the wall as the memories of recent events came flooding back into her mind. 

_I was dueling. Rowle was gaining more strength and I was losing energy. He shot the killing curse at me, and now I’m here. Does that mean I’m…_

She wasn’t able to finish her thoughts because at that moment a door beside her opened.

When she looked towards the door, she found an older man with white hair standing next to it. 

“Hermione, please come in.” He said.

Obliging, she stood up and walked through the door. On the other side, there was a slightly larger room than the previous one with a desk in the center and a few shelves to the side of it. 

She sat down in a chair that was in front of the desk and waited for the man to sit down as well. 

“My name is Michael. You, Hermione Granger, are dead.” The man said.

Hermione stared at him looking confused. 

“Where am I? What is this place?” Hermione asked puzzled.

“You are in the Good Place. It’s where good people go when they die.” Michael explained simply.

Hermione thought for a moment trying to make sense of everything she had been told.

“So I’m dead?” Hermione asked.

“Yes,” Michael responded.

* * *

Michael had given Hermione a tour of the neighborhood after explaining how everything in the Good Place worked.

Hermione was most eager to meet her soulmate. Ron had been nice to her but she hadn’t felt a spark and they didn’t have a good connection.

Hermione’s house was nice. It wasn’t very big but it fitted her personality perfectly.

A knock on the door alerted Hermione that Michael was back, this time with her soulmate in tow. 

She got up and went to the door, opening it for her guests. She let them enter and then shut it behind them.

When she turned around she couldn’t believe her eyes.

Hermione didn’t think it was possible. 

She was supposed to be here, but she didn't think the person standing in front of her was supposed to be.

Because the person standing in front of her was Bellatrix Lestrange.

However, she looked slightly different.

The death eater's once tangled hair cascaded down her back in wavy curls and her rotting teeth had been replaced with shiny white ones.

“What is she doing here?” Hermione asked nervously.

The last time she had been face to face with Bellatrix was in Malfoy Manor and things hadn’t turned out very well there. 

Michael hesitated before speaking up.

“Bellatrix is technically supposed to be in the Bad Place, however, because you two are soulmates she can’t be in the Bad Place when you’re here. We aren’t allowed putting the Good Place people in the Bad Place and so she’ll be coming here instead.” 

Hermione couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She and Bellatrix soulmates? It couldn’t be right.

“I’m afraid you are mistaken. There’s no way that me and Bellatrix Lestrange are soulmates.” Hermione said disbelievingly.

“Well, you better believe it muddy. He had to explain it to me multiple times before I believed him and even then I needed proof and he was still able to provide it. And it’s Black, not Lestrange.” Bellatrix spat.

Hermione rolled her eyes at the woman’s behavior.

“Well, why is she allowed here? Why can’t we just be separated?” Hermione questioned. 

“Because you’re able to help her and putting you in the Bad Place would be horrible. As for separating you, that’s a different matter. Soulmates bonds are too strong and to separate you would be cruel. It may not seem like it now but soon you’ll understand.” Michael responded.

“Where is she going to be staying?” Hermione asked, ignoring the man’s response.

“Here, with you. She can’t be trusted in her own home and you’ll grow closer if you’re in the same house. Since you’ll have to spend time together it will be better if you get to know one another.” Michael said.

Hermione was astonished by the response. She couldn’t believe she would have to live with Bellatrix Black.

However, before she could protest Michael was leaving and Bellatrix had gone off on a self-guided tour of the house.

“Janet” Hermione called out to no one.

A figure appeared next to Hermione a second after.

“Can you get me some butterbeer please?” Hermione asked the person.

Janet disappeared and reappeared within a second with a bottle of butterbeer in her hand for Hermione. 

Hermione didn’t get a chance to say thank you before Janet disappeared. 

She popped the cap off of the bottle and took a swig. She thought about everything that had happened so far. It was going to be a long few days.


	2. Bellatrix Hates Everything

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bellatrix hates everything and Hermione tries to come to terms that she needs to live with her enemy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to Remy for being so awesome and helping me with editing!

The first few days had gone well so far. Despite having to live with Bellatrix, Hermione enjoyed the neighborhood. She had met a few people that lived nearby and enjoyed exploring the area. 

Bellatrix, on the other hand, wasn’t enjoying her time. The people were too friendly for her liking, there wasn’t any magic, and she had to live with Hermione Granger. 

Bellatrix truly despised Hermione. Not only because she was a mudblood, but due to the fact that she was one of the main reasons for the Dark Lord’s downfall. 

She had tried to stay away from people at all costs, especially from that annoying brat. Bellatrix had wandered around to try and find a quiet place to herself but wasn’t able to find anything. The garden seemed to be her best option. It was quiet most of the time but, on occasion, people would have small picnics with others. Bellatrix ended up spending most of her time there or in her room.

The garden wasn’t very large but had a variety of different flowers and plants. There was a small koi pond that had some shrubs surrounding it. Some stone benches were placed near the pond and multiple paths led off in different directions. The paths were illuminated by brilliant shades of reds and pinks coming from the flowers.

Bellatrix walked down a path towards the pond hoping no one was there at the moment. The stone tile she walked on was cracked in some spots where vines had grown. 

When she arrived at the pond, she was glad to note that there was only one other person there who was reading a novel on one of the benches. 

Bellatrix sat down and started throwing rocks into the pond. Each time she threw one it would make a small splash and some drops of water would fly out of the pond. 

“Can you please stop?” The person reading said after a few minutes. 

“And why should I do that?” Bellatrix challenged. 

“Because I asked you politely and you’re getting water on me.” She said annoyed.

Bellatrix ignored her and continued throwing the stones into the pond. 

The girl closed her book and looked at Bellatrix. 

“You’re Bellatrix aren’t you?” She asked. 

The woman continued to ignore her and began throwing the stones harder, creating a larger splash.

“You must be. Michael told me about you.” She said.

Getting up the woman walked over to where Bellatrix was and sat down next to her. 

Bellatrix let out a breath of annoyance. 

“I’m Eleanor. I’m also new here. My friends and I were all supposed to go to the Bad Place but we were able to become better and make it here. You should come over sometime and I can introduce you to everyone.” Eleanor said.

Bellatrix stopped throwing the rocks and turned to face the other woman. 

“Why would I want to do that?” She questioned sarcastically.

“Because you don’t know anybody and we all became better people. We could try and help you.” She said simply.

Bellatrix got up and started walking away from Eleanor.

“I don’t need any help and I definitely don’t need to be a better person.” She said angrily. 

Eleanor got up after Bellatrix and started following her. 

“You should still come. At least then you would know some people around here. We’re here forever you might as well have some company.” She said, trying to persuade Bellatrix. 

“Just leave me alone. I don’t need anybody. I spent 15 years by myself with nothing to do and this time I have things to entertain me.” Bellatrix said as she continued walking away.

“What do you mean?” Eleanor asked.

“None of your business, missy.” She replied. “Now, if you don’t mind, I would like to be left alone.” She said through gritted teeth.

“Okay, but the offer still stands.” The other woman said.

Bellatrix, once again, ignored the woman and made her way back home.

Luckily, the house was close and so she didn’t have much of a chance of meeting people on the way. 

When she opened the door she was annoyed to see that Hermione was sitting in the kitchen with a cup of tea. 

She slammed the door, causing some of the furniture to rattle lightly. 

“I’ve told you not to do that Bellatrix! Something could break.” Hermione said.

“Do you think I give a shirt? Ugh, I wish we were able to swear here. Everything here is horrible! The people are annoying as hell. I was just trying to relax in the garden and some Ellen person started talking to me. Can I just be left alone?” She said grumpily.

“You are so ungrateful Bellatrix! You are allowed to stay here when in reality you should be in the Bad Place being tortured. I can’t believe that’s what you think!” Hermione shot back.

“I don’t care that I’m supposed to be in the Bad Place. I’d prefer to be there instead of here, to be honest! At least then I’d be away from you! I wouldn’t need to share my home with some stupid mudblood!” She yelled at the younger girl.

Hermione felt the scar on her arm tingle and her mind was filled with memories from Malfoy Manor. Her eyes brimmed with tears at the thought.

“You can call me whatever you want Bellatrix but it won’t affect me. I take pride in who I am. You are a heartless person and that’s all you’ll ever be!” Hermione shouted.

Hermione stormed out of the room and slammed her bedroom door then locked it behind her. 

She fell onto her bed and cried into her pillow. 

All she wanted was to be with her friends again. Memories of the war ran through her mind and she started to cry harder. She didn’t have anyone here. 

She continued crying until eventually she fell asleep. 

While all of this happened, Bellatrix sat on the couch in the living room listening to the young girls weeping while she thought over her last few months on earth. 


	3. Mixed Feelings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am sorry this took so long to update. I promise the chapters should start to update regularly. I have had horrible writers block for a while. I hope you enjoy this chapter.
> 
> I own none of the characters in this fic.

Soft hands held her close. The warmth of their bodies pressed together. Hermione could feel her breath hitch as the hands started to roam her body. 

She knew this wasn’t right. They were sworn enemies. But did that matter anymore? After all, they _ were _ dead. 

All thoughts were pushed aside as ruby red lips crashed into her own. What started as a chaste kiss soon turned heated and full of passion. A low moan escaped the brunette's throat as the lips moved down her neck and nipped at her collar bone. She began to fumble with the buttons on Bella’s blouse. It took a moment before she was able to slide the shirt off the dark witch and let it fall to the floor. The hands had stopped roaming and gently pushed Hermione back where she fell onto the cloud-like bed. Bellatrix hovered over her for a moment as she caught her breath. Soon intoxicating lips were once again against Hermione’s and fingers were tracing imaginary shapes over her body. 

It was going to be a long night.

* * *

The light shone into the room as Hermione’s senses returned to her. 

Looking around she didn’t recognize the room. Its furnishings were different from what her room was and it had a different feel to it. If this wasn’t her room than whose was it?

An arm snaked around her torso pulling her back close to a warm body. 

“Morning,” a husky voice said from behind her. 

Hermione melted into the comforting embrace before realizing where she knew the voice from.

The younger woman shot up in bed, head spinning with memories from the other night. She had gotten drunk. So fucking drunk, and apparently Bellatrix had as well. 

This wasn’t right. Bellatrix was a bloody murderer and had tortured so many people, herself included. She could have slept with anyone else, but it had to be a death eater. _A beautiful death eater...no, I can’t think like that._

The woman in question propped herself up on her elbows to look at Hermione, her signature smirk gracing her lips.

“What? Did you not sleep well?” Hermione shot her head around to glare daggers at Bella.

Her mind raced with thoughts and she soon grew panicked. This wasn’t right. Why had she been so stupid? What would Harry say?

The woman’s breathing was quick and coming in short bursts. She gasped for air as the feeling of being trapped grew stronger.

“Oh my, Muddy! You're beginning to look like how you did last night. All hot and bothered.” Bellatrix knew she would upset Hermione. It wasn’t a surprise when the younger woman quickly scrambled out of bed and exited the room.

She couldn't be here right now. Being in the same house as the raven-haired witch would only cause her to panic more. Where could she go? She had no one here.

The click of Bella’s heeled boots could be heard nearing Hermione. Without thought the young woman fled the residence, slamming the door behind her.

Tears ran down her face as she searched for somewhere to go.

The brunette was unaware of the time, however, based on the sun having risen she guessed that it would be close to mid-morning. Hopefully, she wouldn’t be waking up Tahani or Eleanor.

Knocking on the elegant door, Hermione fidgeted with her hands while she waited for a response. After a few minutes, Hermione was going to turn away and leave when the door was opened.

“Miss Granger. Is everything alright?” Tahani appeared in the doorway, thoroughly confused at the girl’s expression.

“No, I needed to get away from the house. Can I talk with you?” Hermione tried to refrain from breaking down on the doorstep. “It’s okay if not, I can always go somewhere else.”

  
  


“No, no, no. It’s quite alright. Please, come in.” Ushered inside, Hermione was led to the parlor where Eleanor sat lazily on the sofa.

Taking a seat on a small armchair, she nervously glanced around the room. She hadn’t meant to intrude on their morning with her problems.

“I’m sorry for bothering you two. I don’t want to be rude.”

Tahani quickly brushed it off and asked why she needed to leave her house. 

“Last night I got drunk and made some mistakes.” Hermione recounted all she could remember from the previous night, how she had found herself this morning upon waking up, and why it was a problem.

“I met Bellatrix a few weeks ago and can confirm that she’s a bench,” Eleanor piped up after the long explanation Hermione had told.

They fell into silence as they thought over what the girl had told them.

“I think you should take some time to yourself as a starter. Distance yourself from Bellatrix to avoid possible teasing. You made a mistake and there’s nothing to do about it now. Both of you weren’t in your right minds, it’s wouldn’t have happened otherwise,” Tahani said offering her best support. 

“If she tries to make any advances or teases you at all be sure to ignore it. It’s probably the most effective thing you can do right now. Eventually, she should drop the subject an move on,” Eleanor added on to what the other had said.

Hermione nodded as she got up from her seat and thanked the two women. Hopefully, it would work and the whole situation would clear up and be forgotten about.

She headed to the front door before thanking them again and exiting the mansion.

Deciding to take the risk of going back to the house, Hermione walked down the stone path that led to the other houses, garden, and town. If Bellatrix wasn’t at the house it would make her life a lot easier. If she was in the house, hopefully, she would be in her room and wouldn’t bother Hermione.

As she entered the quiet building it appeared that she was lucky in the sense that the house was empty. 

Or at least she thought it was.

After closing the door and turning around to head to her room she let out a high-pitched yelp when she found herself pushed against the door with her hands pinned above her.

“Let go of me!” She screamed at the women who held her in place.

“And why would I do that Muddy? Don’t you want to have some fun?” Bellatrix spoke in a mocking tone as she grasped Hermione’s wrists tighter.

Squirming at the hold Hermione started to become fearful. The last time this happened was in Malfoy Manor and she was not looking for a similar event. 

“Please, let me go.” Hermione choked back a sob attempting to remain emotionally strong in front of the older woman. 

Bellatrix could clearly see through the weak facade and leaned in close to Hermione, her breath could be felt by the witch in her hold.

“Aww is the little ickle Muddy going to cry?” Bellatrix followed the sentence with a harsh cackle that sent shivers down Hermione’s spine. 

“I would never want a mudblood like you anyway.” Finally releasing the woman from her grasp she laughed again before heading back to her room.

Silent tears fell down Hermione’s face slowly. She sunk to the ground as she attempted to stop herself from shaking. It must have started when Bellatrix had trapped her because she didn’t notice it until now. 

Slowly she stopped shivering and the tears didn't continue to fall. 

Using all the energy her body could summon she pulled herself off the floor and walked to her room. 

With any luck, she would be left alone for at least a few hours. Dealing with the dark witch was the last thing she wanted to do right now. 


	4. Familiar Faces

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As I said in the previous chapter, I haven't updated this in a while. Today I seemed to be quite productive and was able to write up another chapter.
> 
> Thank you to my wonderful friend for editing this!!!

Upon arriving in The Good Place, Hermione hadn’t expected to see anyone she knew. From the way Michael had explained it, there were multiple neighborhoods, and the chances of her being in the same one as someone from Hogwarts was very slim. 

Because of this, she was shocked when she discovered that Bellatrix was her soulmate. Over time she grew accustomed to the fact; however, now she hated the witch more than ever.

The pure-blood would pop-up at random times and attempt to seduce her. Flirting would be the first to occur, the woman invading Hermione’s space and whispering sweet nothings into her ear. Usually, she would then try to hold her waist or place her hands above her head. The young witch would always push Bellatrix away, and as a result of this, the raven-haired woman would leave the room mumbling profanities under her breath. 

Hermione tried to listen to the advice of Eleanor and Tahani. Still, it wasn't a very easy thing to do when the woman in question was persistent on continually pestering her.

In an attempt at getting a break from Bellatrix’s annoying pursuit, Hermione had gone into town, hoping that because she was in a public place, the vexatious woman would refrain from causing havoc in her life. 

So far, the strategy had been successful. Hermione had neither seen nor heard of any problems Bellatrix may have caused. The brunette was also relieved to have the liberty of freedom from the woman regularly harassing her.

She had visited a select amount of shops and stopped to have a small snack of froyo. Her day was going surprisingly well. This was when she became suspicious that it was going too well. 

While enjoying the frozen treat, a recognizable person approached her. She only realized who this was when they stopped walking and embraced Hermione in a welcoming hug. 

Tonks. 

“‘Mione, I can’t believe you died! I know lots of people didn’t make it during the war, but you?!? I’m surprised someone managed to beat you in a duel. You’re very advanced in defensive magic. Who'd've thought we’d be in the same neighborhood as well? When I arrived, Michael mentioned that you were here, and so I began looking for you as soon as I was able to.” The energetic woman rapidly spoke as she pulled back from the hug she had pulled Hermione into. 

“Tonks! I didn’t think I’d ever see a familiar face again! I’m glad I finally have someone competent to talk about the wizarding world with,” Hermione smiled at Nymphadora after taking in everything that the other had said. 

Hermione noticed that at the moment, Tonks sported dark blue hair similar to that of her child, Teddy.

The older woman went up to the counter to order herself desert, choosing a blueberry and raspberry swirl after a moment of looking at the options.

When she returned to the table, she promptly sat down and began to eat her frozen yogurt. 

The two fell into a comfortable silence as they enjoyed their treats and surveyed the shop. It wasn’t until they had left the space and started walking around town that Nymphadora spoke up again.

“Is it true then?” She nervously glanced at Hermione with curious eyes.

“Hmm? Is what true?” Hermione was puzzled at the woman's choice of words and the look that she wore on her face. 

“Well, you know. Is it true that you and my aunt are...soulmates?” It seemed that she had a hard time coming to terms with it as it took a moment for the sentence to be finished. 

Hermione turned her gaze to the ground and blushed lightly. She had forgotten entirely about the troublesome women until this moment, and the reminder that Bellatrix was her soulmate made blood rush to the young witch's face.

“Unfortunately, yes. She’s been quite... _ interesting  _ to have around.” Hermione had to pause to look for the right words to use, not wanting to reveal anything to the other woman.

“Oh? Interesting in a good way or interesting in a bad way?” Tonks searched for more information after concluding that Hermione’s sentence hadn’t held much meaning. 

“I don’t know. I suppose both?” 

Humming in response, Nymphadora dropped the subject and continued to walk in silence. 

After showing Hermione where she was living, they headed back to the brunette's house, where she dropped off Hermione to head back to her own home.

“If you ever need anything, don't hesitate to come to find me, especially if that aunt of mine is a pain in the arse. Okay?” Tonks asked her only half-jokingly.

“Okay.” Hermione laughed in response and gave the woman one last hug before entering her house.

At least now she had a friend from her time on Earth she could talk to. 

Sighing, she kicked off her shoes and flopped down onto the couch. Her feet were killing her. She had spent the whole day walking around trying to avoid running into Bella, and despite keeping her distance from her, it had repercussions of being sore and tired. 

“Muddy! You’ve returned. I thought you might have fallen into the river and drowned. I was beginning to have hope!” The childish sound of Bellatrix’s voice made Hermione internally groan. She didn’t have the energy to deal with this. 

“Fork off, Bellatrix. I didn’t drown in the river as you’ve suggested, however, now I wish I had. Please, just leave me alone.” Sarcasm laced her words, and although the final part of her message had intended to be somewhat polite, it was covered up by the bitterness that she exuded.

“Ooh, someone’s in a _good_ mood today.” The woman shot back with her mockery as she carelessly sat down next to Hermione. 

The woman twirled her dark curls around her finger while Hermione sat up in a straighter position.

“Why do you need to be like this? Why must you always bother me? Always be so harsh? Do you even know what personal space means?” Her tone was exasperated and held weariness.

“Hmm, of course I know what it means, mind you, sometimes people don’t need personal space,” Bellatrix drawled as she inched closer to the woman before her. 

Hermione’s breathing hitched as a hand snaked up her side. She needed to push her away. She wouldn’t let this happen again.

“Surely, you don’t mind a _little_ closeness.” The witch smirked when she noticed that the younger woman had been looking at her lips.

Leaning in, Bellatrix pressed her body closer to Hermione’s. Slowly, she inclined forward, giving Hermione plenty of time to pull away.

After a moment, their lips connected, moving slowly against one another. Bella bit gently at ‘Mione’s bottom lip. As the kiss began to progress, she pulled back with a smirk.

Without saying anything, the raven-haired woman left the couch and sauntered back to her room, slamming the door behind her. 

It took a moment for Hermione to gather her thoughts. Once she had, she mentally slammed her head against a table.

She’d done it again.


	5. Memories

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like the ending of this might be a little ooc but hopefully it isn't. Sorry this took a little longer than normal to update, my life has recently gotten busy with going back to school and it's hard to find time to write. 
> 
> Trigger Warning: Implied/referenced past child abuse and past self-harm. 
> 
> Leave a comment and let me know what you think! I'm always open to constructive criticism.

_ She’d been sneaking around again. Bellatrix had noticed it immediately. Sitting away from her and Narcissa at meals. Avoiding them in the halls and common room. Announcing that she wouldn’t be coming home for Christmas. _

_ “She’s dating a mudblood,” Narcissa whispered. _

_ She couldn’t believe it. A mudblood. How could anyone love a mudblood? How could she betray her family's beliefs? _

_ “Let's hope mother and father don’t find out. If they did she wouldn’t ever be coming home for Christmas again.” Bellatrix said calmly but the threat was clear beneath her words. _

_ “You wouldn’t! Bella, she’s our sister! I don’t agree with her actions but we can’t do something that low. She’d be burned off the tapestry.” Narcissa hissed. _

_ “I’ll have you know that I can do whatever I wish! Besides, she shouldn’t be around that filth anyway. I’d only be looking out for her.” Bellatrix gathered her books and headed up to the dormitory. She didn’t want to further discuss this with her little sister. _

_ Andromeda couldn’t see the mudblood again. It had to stop. _

* * *

Pieces of broken glass were scattered across the floor. Pillows tossed across the room. The smell of alcohol was strong and filled the air. The room was filled with darkness, no light found its way into the area. 

Passed out on the bed lay Bellatrix, who had drank too much the night before.

* * *

_ Her breathing was ragged. Hands clutched at her head trying to ease the pain she felt. Her body closed in on itself, head in her lap, knees pulled close to her body, raven hair fell like a curtain around her small frame. _

_ Bellatrix could hear him. The slow steps he took, examining the room and the damage it had faced. The snake gliding across the cold floor, never leaving his side. _

_ All she could see was darkness. Screams echoed distantly, but she knew they weren’t there. The memories of her past filled her mind. Of her father taking his anger out on her. The scars that lined her shoulders and back. The coldness of Azkaban; of feeling happiness and life drained from her soul. The day her sister chose a mudblood over her family. _

_ The voices and screams grew louder. A searing pain in the back of her skull. _

_ Her pale hands shook lightly. Black nails dug into her scalp, pulling at her hair. _

_ ‘Make it stop. Please make it stop. I failed him.’ Choking back a sob Bella held herself tighter, the only thing protecting her from the world. _

_ And then he was gone. The only people left in the room were her and the Malfoys’. The room had gone quiet. Her body trembled with fear, finally forcing her head up she saw the blood that pooled on the floor from the severed bodies that lay there. _

_ She knew she should pull herself together. It wasn’t wise to have her guard down like this. She couldn’t show weakness. _

_ Using all the strength she had the woman gathered herself from the ground, raised her chin and stormed off to her chambers. _

* * *

The headache was horrid. The side effects of being so hungover. Luckily it was quiet and there was no light. 

Cursing under her breath the dark witch pulled herself out of bed, attempting to ignore the aches and pains in her muscles. 

Slowly finding her way to the wardrobe, she threw on a bathrobe and exited the room to the bathroom, hoping the mudblood wouldn't be there so she could try and relax in a nice bath.

Thankfully her prayers were answered and the room was unoccupied upon her arrival. 

After drawing warm water in the bathtub, Bellatrix undid the robe and let it fall to the ground. Slipping into the hot water she released a sigh, allowing herself to relax and her body to loosen. 

Bellatrix always enjoyed the warmth surrounding her. After Azkaban one of the first things she had done was bathe. Spending 15 years in prison could make one quite cold, very quickly. 

* * *

_ Chills ran down her spine as the dementors passed by her cell. It had only been a few months and she was starting to lose hope. As every day passed by she grew weaker. Her hair became tangled, teeth rotten and mind more unhinged. _

_ Always telling herself the same thing. ‘He will come back. We will be rewarded. I must stay strong to help him.’ _

_ As strong as she tried to stay, it was nearly impossible to follow through on it. One meal a day barely kept her going. Her bones were weak and fragile, quickly having grown skinny and malnourished. _

_ A scream echoed through the filthy corridors. Begging and pleading. Commonly heard, it was nothing new. _

_ Maybe one day he would return, she’d finally be able to leave and serve once again. _

* * *

The water had quickly lost its heat forcing Bellatrix out of the water and back into the cool air of the washroom.

Drying her hair with a towel, the woman stepped in front of the mirror and examined herself. 

Her hair was nicer than it had been during the war. Now flowing in graceful waves down her back. Once rotten teeth had been replaced with pearly white ones. Lines on her forehead had been smoothed and made her appear younger. 

Except there was one thing that had remained. 

The scars.

Her mind flashed with memories of how she got them. Her father's beatings, the dozens of battles and fights she had been in as a Death Eater, and the marks from when she was 16. 

She remembered holding the dagger, examining the details on its blade, and watching as red beads appeared on her alabaster skin.

The sound of glass shattering was the first thing she noticed before feeling the pain. The mirror lay in pieces, some still attached to its frame, others lining the floor. 

A sob wracked through her body. She shouldn’t be here. Who would ever deserve or want to be here? She may be dead but the pain remained. The memories remained. She was still her broken self. 

Numb. 

It was the only way to describe how she felt. The tears ran and she saw the blood form on her knuckles, but she couldn’t truly feel it. 

Only when the door cracked open and a head peeked in did she realize she had been making noise. 

“Bellatrix, what’s wrong?” A soft voice had carefully asked while slowly approaching the woman. 

Trying to hide from Hermione she turned away, hoping that the girl wouldn’t continue to advance. 

Instantly she knew it hadn’t worked because two arms wrapped around her and held her close. 

“It’s going to be okay. You’re going to be okay.” Hermione shushed into her ear while examining the damage in the room. 

Bellatrix released a sob as more tears fell down her face. No one had held her like this before, let alone try and comfort her. 

She could feel a hand rub circles on her back slowly as the voice tried to calm her further. 

It took several minutes before the woman realized what was happening. When she did she pushed herself off the ground and left to go to her room. 

She shouldn’t have let herself act that way in front of such filth. Hermione was a mudblood, she would always be a mudblood. Nothing more and nothing less. 

_ Mudblood_.


	6. The Unpaved Path

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not very happy with how this chapter turned out. It's very ooc and I feel like I rushed it, but I'm too lazy to actually go back and re-write parts lol. It's a bit of a filler chapter but I hope people like it anyways.

The mirror was the first thing she had noticed when entering the room. It had been shattered. Tiny pieces of glass lay on the counter, while some larger pieces remained intact on the frame of the mirror. 

The second thing she had noticed was Bellatrix. She curled in on herself on the floor crying. Scars lined her body, some appeared newer and others had been a part of her for quite some time. On her right hand, her knuckles bled, probably from breaking the mirror. 

She had tried to help her. To hold her close and say things would be okay. For a few moments the older woman had allowed it, but soon she pushed her away and had left. 

Hermione had given her some time. The dark witch was upset and she understood that she probably needed some space. After a while, however, she decided to check on Bellatrix. 

That’s how she found herself knocking on the woman's bedroom door at 2 am. 

“What do you want?” Her voice was hoarse, a sign that she had been crying for a long time. 

“I wanted to check on you.” Hermione knew that she would most likely not be let in, but it was worth a try.

“Please go away.”

Ignoring her words Hermione opened the door to the bedroom. Bellatrix sat on the bed, a silk bathrobe wrapped around her body. Her hair was frizzy and she had dark circles under her eyes. 

“I said go away, Granger.” Instead of the words being harsh as Hermione had expected, they sounded tired. 

“You’re hurt. Please, let me help.” The brunette saw that Bellatrix’s knuckles and how they were still red and scratched. 

Hermione moved to sit next to her and when Bella didn’t pull away she reached out and examined the witch’s hand. 

“Janet,” When the not-girl popped up in the room she continued to speak. ”Could you please get me a warm cloth, peroxide and some bandages.” After a moment Janet returned with the things which Hermione had asked for and left the room.

“I’ll be right back.” Hermione got up from her sitting position and headed into the kitchen where she poured a glass of water for Bellatrix. 

“You’re dehydrated.” She explained as she handed the water to the raven-haired women.

Bellatrix nodded in response and took a small sip from the glass. 

Taking her hand again, she placed the cloth over the cuts and cleaned it the best she could. 

“This will sting.” She used the peroxide to kill any bacteria or infection in the cut. Surprisingly Bellatrix didn’t make a sound. She wrapped the hand in bandages and placed it down. 

“There. Hopefully, you don’t get an infection.” Hermione looked up at Bellatrix. Tears leaked down her eyes silently. 

“Why are you so nice to me? After everything I’ve done. I tortured you and others, killed so many people, and I haven’t necessarily been pleasant to have around here. After I broke the mirror you didn’t get upset at me, instead, you tried to comfort me. No one has done that before. All my life I’ve been a horrible person yet you treat me normally. Why?” More tears fell, she tried to brush them away but eventually gave up as they fell more frequently. 

“Because everyone deserves a second chance. I’m not saying what you did was right but you had reasons for them. You grew up in a pure-blood family, there’s no doubt that they forced their expectations on you, and Azkaban does a lot to a person. You have the opportunity to become a better person here.”

Bellatrix continued to cry, it had seemed like forever since she had done so freely in front of another person. 

Deciding that it would be okay, Hermione leaned forward and wrapped her arms around the woman. 

Bellatrix didn’t object, instead, she relaxed into the embrace and let out a sob. It reminded her of earlier, however, this time she allowed herself to be vulnerable, to feel hurt. 

She didn’t know how long had passed but soon Bellatrix had quieted and fell into what Hermione could only assume was a deep sleep.

* * *

When morning came Bellatrix was gone. Hermione wasn’t surprised. 

Getting out of the comfortable bed she headed into the kitchen to make herself coffee. Last night had been a long one and caffeine would be much needed to wake her up. 

After the drink had been brewed she sat down on the comfortable leather sofa and picked up the Daily Prophet. It was one of the things Hermione had asked for upon arriving in the Good Place. Despite being dead it was nice to keep up with the happenings in the wizarding world. 

Flipping the first page she started to read the most recent news and took a sip of her coffee. 

She continued to read until she heard the front door open and watched Bella walk in. Understanding that the woman may want to be left alone she looked away and flipped to the next page in the prophet. 

The younger woman couldn’t help but feel curious about how the other was feeling. Her curiosity only increased when a body sat down next to her. 

“I-I wanted to thank you for what you did last night. No one’s done that before. It- it means a lot.” Bellatrix nervously fidgeted with her dress and looked away. Saying thank you had never come easily to her. 

Hermione was stunned. She didn’t know what to say. So she didn’t say anything. Instead, she turned Bellatrix’s head towards her, silently leaning forward she brushed her lips against the others. The kiss was returned quickly. Bellatrix placed her hands on Hermione’s waist, while Hermione found her own hands tangled in Bella’s raven curls. 

After a moment they broke away and leaned their foreheads together. The ex-Death Eater had her eyes closed, in fear of Hermione’s expression. 

“It’s okay, Bella.” Hermione could see that she was struggling with her emotions. She couldn’t imagine how Bellatrix must be feeling.

“Everything will be okay.”


	7. Truth and Lies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not sure if this chapter is very good. It's more of a filler chapter, but the story will pick up in a bit.

Tonks’ apartment was small but homey. The furniture had a contemporary style that was both attractive to look at and pleasant to use. Sunlight brightened the sitting room and illuminated the succulents that adorned a small bookshelf by one of the many windows. The condo was similar to what Hermione had imagined Nymphadora’s childhood home would look like. 

Hermione had come for afternoon tea after being invited by the former Auror. The last time they had seen each other was when Tonks first arrived, and now that she had settled into the neighborhood a visit was in order.

Laid out on the wooden coffee table were raspberry scones, a small dish of sugar, a small container of cream and two cups of warm orange pekoe tea.

Hermione was seated on the brown leather sofa, while Nymphadora sat on a cushioned seat she had pulled up. 

“So, you adjusted well? Your apartment suits you. I see that there’s not much you can break or accidentally trip over.” Hermione shot a playful smirk in Tonks’ direction before taking a sip of her tea.

Tonks chuckled lightly at the joke Hermione had made. 

“Well I haven’t managed to break anything yet, but I assure you I will eventually find a way to do so.”

Hermione smiled in response; it felt good to be able to act normally and relax for once. Eleanor and Tahani were good friends but it wasn’t the same as being around someone she had previously known on Earth.

“How is everything for you? Bellatrix is being okay to you?”

“Everything is...okay. The other night there was a small incident but I think everything has passed now.” Hermione tried hard not to reveal anything, from the way Bella had been the other night she knew that the dark witch would want privacy. 

“What do you mean a small incident? Did she hurt you? Hermione if something is wrong you can tell me.” Tonks looked at her friend worriedly. She knew her aunt had a temper that would often get the better of her. Even if it was the Good Place she’d still be able to hurt Hermione.

“No. No, she didn’t hurt me. Just...she had a small breakdown. She’d gone to take a bath and after a while, I heard glass shatter and crying. When I went in the mirror was in pieces and she was curled in on herself on the floor sobbing. I tried to comfort her but she eventually went back to her room.” Hermione knew it wasn’t the full story. She hadn’t mentioned their relationship for fear of what Tonks’ response would be. She also ignored to mention the scars she had seen on Bella, mainly to respect the older witch’s privacy. 

“Oh...that’s strange. I would gather Bellatrix to be the type of person who doesn’t cry in front of anyone, if at all. You’re sure nothing else happened? She didn’t do anything to you?” Despite Hermione recounting the event in high detail, Nymphadora was still concerned for her friend. It wouldn’t be unlike her aunt Bella to hurt someone, especially Hermione considering she was muggle-born. 

“I’m sure.” The brunette gave Tonks a reassuring smile before looking at her watch. “I’d best be going. Thank you for the tea! It was very nice.” 

“It was nice to have you visit! I’ll see you around ‘Mione,” Nymphadora said while giving the young woman a hug before she left the small apartment. 

* * *

The walk back to her house was quite uneventful. The sun had started to set and the town wasn’t very busy. Hermione had considered stopping for dinner but decided against it as it was late in the evening already and she was tired.

When she first stepped into the house she expected Bellatrix to be in her room or off somewhere else in the neighborhood, so it was a surprise when the dark-haired woman was sitting on the couch reading a novel from one of the bookshelves. 

“Hey...I wasn’t expecting you to be out here.” Hermione looked inquisitively at Bella as she made her way into the house. 

“I can leave if you wish.” 

“No, I didn’t mean I wanted you to leave. I was just guessing you’d be in your room.” Making her way closer to the woman she sat down on the couch next to her. “What are you reading?” 

“Some muggle book. As much as I hate to say this it isn’t very bad.” Turning the book over in her hands she looked over the front cover.

“That’s Shakespeare. He was quite famous.” 

Without saying a word Bellatrix got up and went to place the book back on the bookshelf before sitting back down on the sofa. 

“I saw your niece today, Nymphadora. We had afternoon tea.” Hermione could see Bellatrix tense at hearing the name of her sister's daughter. 

“Great. Just what I wanted; her knowing everything about my forking personal life.” A snarl formed on her face as she spat the words.

“Who said that I told her anything about you? Sure she was concerned for me and I did tell her a bit about the other day. It wasn’t in detail though. I just had to convince her that everything is fine. The truth is, I don’t know if everything is fine.” A hidden question in her words; was Bellatrix actually okay?

“Nothing is ever fine, Hermione. My whole life I’ve learned that. Even when the world seems perfect there will always be something wrong, no matter how much you wish that it would go away. The memories will always be a part of you. The scars will always be there, even if you can’t always see them.” Her expression was tired, defeated. Bellatrix was allowing herself to open up a little and wasn’t sure how to feel about it. 

They fell into a silence, both pondering over the words just said. 

“I’m going to bed. Goodnight, Hermione.” 

“Goodnight.” 

That night the words were stuck in her head. The truth was she agreed with them. Bellatrix was right, in the world there would never be perfection, only the truth, and lies. 

Perfection was overrated and imperfection underrated.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feel free to follow my Tumblr @bellatrix0818


	8. Power, Money, Influence

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Probably ooc.
> 
> TW: Implied/referenced past child abuse, self harm, and suicidal thoughts.

_ Mist hung in the air. A heaviness that was impossible to describe. The land around them was grey. An accurate representation of the feelings held by everyone gathered. Hermione would have loved the weather. The day would be perfect for staying inside and reading while drinking warm tea. If only she were there to enjoy it. _

_ The Second Wizarding War and the Battle of Hogwarts had killed so many wonderful souls, one of which happened to be Hermione Granger. When Harry and Ron had seen her laying on the blood-washed, concrete floor, the life gone from her eyes, their hearts were shattered. Ron had lost two people who were extremely close to him and could barely keep fighting. Harry, however, was only driven with more energy and power, wanting to finish off the source that had taken his friends and family from him. _

_ They made the affair simple. It’s what Hermione would have wanted. Nothing extravagant. Only true to her and how she was while living. Despite being close to very few people, many gathered. The Weasleys had attended with the remaining Order members, along with the staff and some students from Hogwarts, but there were also a large number of people of whom Hermione had barely known that were found paying their respects. Among the group of people; Narcissa Malfoy and Andromeda Tonks. _

_ They stayed back, away from the gathered crowd. Barely anyone noticed the two women. Harry had acknowledged their presence but had ignored them to the best of his ability, wanting to stay focused on Hermione and the reason they were all there. _

_ Grief had torn through the two sisters. Not for Hermione (although Andromeda was sad to hear the news of her demise), but for their elder sibling who now lay buried in the earth, hidden under layers of soil and dirt. They had come for the simple reason of feeling guilt and sorrow. Andromeda wanted to be at the event, having known the young witch. Narcissa had attended knowing that she was part of the group of people that were the reason the muggle-born now lay dead. _

_ “I’m surprised you came today.” After the affair, they had returned to Andromeda’s small home in the countryside of Rural England. _

_ “I wasn’t sure I would. I saw it happen; every minute, and I didn’t do anything. The screams still haunt my dreams. She was only a child, to think that it could’ve been Draco, it’s horrible. And to see Bella in the mindset that she was, it broke me.” _

_ “We all made mistakes. There’s nothing we can do about it now. Our flaws and mistakes have shaped who we are today. It isn’t good to dwell on the past or look to the future. Now, all we can do is live in the present and be thankful for what we have. I’m not saying we shouldn’t acknowledge our past problems, they’re what help us learn, but we need to move forward. Think of this as a new beginning. We have learned, we will grow and we can be better people. People have died, but we’re still here. We can change our ways. It’s the only thing we have left to do.”_

* * *

“It reminded me of Black Manor.” Her voice was quiet, barely audible to the girl walking next to her. “Not in appearance but the feeling. Old money, power, influence; everything the Black family lived for. I can’t go back.” It was a rare occasion that the older woman would open up to Hermione, or to anyone.

They were returning from Tahani and Eleanor's house. Somehow Hermione had been able to convince the dark witch to attend lunch with her at the estate. They hadn’t been there long, an hour at the most. Bellatrix had been acting strangely. She was oddly quiet and her eyes kept darting around the room. The closed-off demeanor she always had, vanished. Pale hands fidgeted nervously and her petite figure quivered lightly. Noticing something was off, Hermione had quickly excused herself and Bellatrix from the table. When she had asked what was the matter Bellatrix refused to explain, only saying that she needed to leave. Understanding that it was a sensitive subject, the brunette thanked Eleanor and Tahani for lunch and left to go home. 

“Did Malfoy Manor not bother you?” Her tone caring; Hermione found herself concerned for her soulmate, something she hadn’t been before. 

“Before Azkaban it did. I was rarely there though. At the time the meetings were held at Lestrange Manor, so the only time I would visit was to see Cissy. After Azkaban, it didn’t, or at least I didn’t notice. We were so busy that I didn’t have time to think about small things like that. Also, I wasn’t very present in my mind, the terrors of that horrid prison still filled my thoughts.”

“Is that where they came from? The scars?” Bellatrix tensed. Perhaps Hermione shouldn’t have brought the subject up. 

The witch went silent for a moment. The younger woman had started to believe that she wouldn’t respond. 

“Yes. Some of them. The majority of them are from my father, some are from the wars. The rest of them are from me, but that’s a conversation for another time.” Her eyes had gone empty, remembering the times that had led to maimed skin. “And then, of course, there are the scars that aren’t visible to the human eye, the mental ones. Occasionally when I was in a bad fight with Cygnus I would say that I wished I was never born, or that I wasn’t a pureblood. He would be furious with me. Eventually, it got to the point where I would actually mean what I said.” Her tone was normal, however, there was hidden emotion beneath her words, something that Hermione was able to pick up on.

The Gryffindor stopped walking down the stone path, prompting Bellatrix to turn and look at her curiously. 

“Bella, I-I wouldn’t have even imagined that happening. I’m so sorry you had to go through that.” Hermione’s eyes shined with tears, but none of them fell down her face. 

“I don’t want your pity. It’s too late to do anything now. That’s how things are in most pureblood families. My sisters didn’t get hurt too often, I tried to take the beatings for them. At least they’re not as damaged. Andy was able to escape the hell we were living and although Narcissa didn’t she still was content with the life she lived after school finished.” 

Hermione couldn’t believe her ears. _ This _ was normal? Walking up to the woman she held Bellatrix’s face in her hands.

“Bellatrix, that’s not okay. The fact that you had to go through that shirt shows just how strong you are. I don’t pity you. I am seeing you for who you are; strong, brave, caring for your sisters. It’s no surprise that you ended up where you were after that. Now, I’m not saying what you did was good but it helps explain things.” 

“Please don’t do this to me, Hermione.” Her voice was pleading and although she tried to pull away from the young woman, Hermione didn’t allow her to. 

“Do what? Show you that I care? Show affection? It’s okay Bella, I won’t hurt you.” 

“It’ll only hurt more. I don’t deserve you. You shouldn’t have to deal with me. H-how do I know that I can trust you? Everyone in my life has hurt me in one way or another. How do I know that you won’t do the same?” Tears started to fall down her face and Bellatrix didn’t try to stop them.

“I promise I won’t hurt you. I would get nothing out of it and I would only feel like shirt if I did. You can’t be hurt anymore Bella, I won’t let it happen.” 

Without hesitation Hermione pulled Bellatrix closer, their lips meeting in a slow embrace. Hermione’s hands moved from holding her face to the base of her neck. Bellatrix tensed at first but after a moment she reciprocated the kiss. It was slow and languid, full of emotion from both women. 

After a moment they had to pull away to catch their breaths. 

“Are you sure?” 

“I’ve never been more certain.” 

* * *

When the sun shone into the room the next morning Hermione immediately became aware of her surroundings and who she was with. A head of raven curls was resting on her shoulder and an arm wrapped around her waist holding her close to the body next to hers. 

“Good morning beautiful.” 

“Good morning Bella.


	9. A Muggle Evening

“I am _ not _ allowing that in our house, Bella. No, it’s not happening.” 

“Why, pet? Does an innocent reptile scare you?” The smirk that appeared on Bella’s face only made the younger woman more annoyed. 

“That, Bellatrix, is not an “innocent reptile”, it’s a 30-foot python. First of all, I don’t wish to find that gliding through our room in the middle of the bloody night, and second of all, how the fork would it fit in our house? Sure, we have room, but that could get too crowded.”

“Fine, but that orange thing isn’t going to be sleeping on the bed.” Hermione smiled at the older witch’s antics. She could truly act like a three-year-old sometimes.

“I’ll have you know that “that orange thing” has a name and it’s Crookshanks. He will have his own bed to sleep in. I named him after the cat I had at Hogwarts. They look identical.” 

“Crookshanks is hardly a name and he definitely does not look like a cat. I don’t care though, as long as it’s not shedding that orange fur everywhere and doesn’t disturb my sleep.”

The couple continued browsing the animals, searching for a pet that Bellatrix may like. Eventually, they stopped in front of the owls. Only a few remained; a tawny owl, snowy owl, long-eared owl, and horned owl.

“Hmm, this one’s nice. I’m taking it.” Bella held her arm out to the small tawny owl, allowing it to climb onto her forearm. 

“Its name?” Hermione looked curiously at the Slytherin. She showed a great deal of care and gentleness to the bird, an interesting sight to see coming from Bellatrix. 

“Reggie. After Regulus, my cousin. I always favored him above Sirius. He was far calmer and more civil than his older brother. The only thing me and Sirius agreed on was the hatred for our parents. It wasn’t uncommon to face punishment for the smallest things. My father and his mother were especially bad.” 

“The name fits. I like it.” It was a simple answer. A way to change the mood. Whenever Bella talked about her family the atmosphere would always become stressed and tension would rise. Hopefully, the comment would help minimize that.

“Yes. Regulus had a small stature but carried himself well. I thought the owl was similar.”

“Must run in the Black family.” Hermione’s lips curl into a smirk.

“What?”

“Being small...” The brunette puts up a finger to silence Bellatrix before she interrupts her. “...and carrying yourself well. It seems that your cousin wasn’t the only one who was good at accomplishing that.” A glare was the only thing that Hermione received in return, though there was hidden amusement beneath it.

“I think it’s about time we should head home, don’t you? I’ve been craving sushi all day.”

“What the bloody hell is sushi?”

* * *

When they arrived back home Hermione and Bellatrix each took care of their chosen pet from the day before Hermione ordered take away from the sushi restaurant in town.

“You better not try and poison me.” 

“I wouldn’t dream of it. Now change into some comfy clothes.” The Gryffindor headed towards their now shared bedroom to change into more relaxing attire.

“Why?” 

“Just do it.”

With the older witch mumbling under her breath, she gave in and went to her own wardrobe to search for suitable clothing. Most of the closet was filled with black and green dresses, a corset with each, however, after some digging Bellatrix pulled out some cotton pajamas that she hadn’t seen before. The pants were black and had a drawstring to hold them up as the legs of them were loose-fitting. The tank top that was paired was a dark navy blue and had a low dipping u-neck. Bellatrix gritted her teeth and slipped from the frock she wore and into the nightwear. 

“How’s this?” Turning she examined the girl before her. Hermione wore an oversized sweatshirt and jogging pants, her hair tied in a low ponytail. 

“Good. Now come. the food should have arrived by now.”

Just as the muggle-born had predicted the take out containers were placed on the coffee table in the sitting room. Sitting down on the sofa that the table lay before, Hermione began to unpackage the food. 

“What is this?” Bellatrix plopped down next to her and examined the different rolls that sat in the containers.

“Sushi. It originated from Japan but you can find it in lots of different countries, it’s not as authentic though. My parents and I used to eat it a lot. Some Friday nights we would order it in then watch movies while eating it.” At the thought of her parents, a lump formed in Hermione’s throat, remembering erasing their memories.

“Hmm. What’s a movie?” 

“I’ll show you one later. Here, try these.” A plate was given to Bellatrix with a few pieces from some of the rolls in the containers. Hesitantly the older woman took a bite out of one. 

“Not bad. Surprising coming from the muggles.” A small smile formed on the brunette’s face, happy with the response from Bella. 

They continued to eat the food while falling into a conversation about Hogwarts and some of the adventures Hermione had gone on with Harry and Ron. Hermione shared how she had used a time-turner in her third year to go to more classes. She also went into detail on how Ron had thought Crookshanks had eaten his rat Scabbers, when in reality his rat had been Wormtail.

“He could be a menace sometimes. I honestly don’t know how I didn’t go insane. It was a surprise when I became friends with the two. In my first year in September and October, they weren’t necessarily the kindest to me.”

“You deserved better than them.”

“They were like family to me. Anyways, let’s watch a film.” Setting aside her dish of food, the witch bounced up from her spot and headed towards the television where she pulled out a copy of the movie ‘Beauty and the Beast’, it had been one of her favorite’s growing up. 

“What is this?”

“Shh, just watch.” A head of chestnut curls found their way to rest in Bella’s lap. A pale arm draped over her side, while the other stroked her hair absentmindedly. 

Throughout the movie, they remained silent. The one time they conversed was to explain something to Bella. Towards the end of the moving picture, Hermione had fallen asleep, only to be woken when a body carried her to the plush queen-sized bed.

“Thank you for letting me do this tonight. It’s nice to do stuff like that sometimes, it reminds me of when I was little.” A sleepy voice sounded as Bellatrix moved to the other side of the bed to slip under the covers.

“It wasn’t a horrible evening, so if you ever want to do it again, that would be acceptable.” Arms found their way around Hermione’s torso and in return a warm body pressed close to hers, before drifting off into a dreamless sleep. 

Maybe muggle things weren’t too bad after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Spoiler for season 4 in the note below. Ignore the note if you don't want spoilers. There are no spoilers for anything in any of the chapters.**
> 
> Just thought I'd clarify to anyone who's seen season 4 of TGP that the fic is post-finale based. The only difference is that there's no "test" to get into the Good Place, so there is still a Good Place and Bad Place that are separate. 
> 
> Feel free to follow my Tumblr @bellatrix0818


	10. Froyo vs Ice Cream

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this chapter is pretty fucking short...sorry bout that. I haven't had much motivation to write lately. The later chapters will be longer though.

“Remind me why we’re here again?” Unsurprisingly petulant, the dark beauty stared at the snack Hermione placed in front of her with disgust in her eyes. 

“You, Bella, are going to try a  _ muggle _ dessert. Frozen yogurt, like ice cream but it’s claimed to be healthier, however, it is just as poor for your health as ice cream.”

“If it’s just as bad then why don’t people eat ice cream instead? Yogurt is gross.” 

“But that’s the thing, this yogurt isn’t. Just try a bite. I promise you’ll like it, and if you don’t then I’ll eat the rest, that’s why I got us one to share.” The brunette pushed the small dish of strawberry froyo closer to Bellatrix, hoping she’d at least have a small taste.

After staring at the treat for another moment, the former Death Eater finally picked up her spoon and took the tiniest bite possible. The older woman didn’t display any emotion as she took another spoonful, only shooting a glare in her lover's direction, although Hermione knew that there was hidden amusement in the expression.

“I hate you.”

“You just hate that I’m right.”

“Fork off.”

Bellatrix ended up finishing the dish and Hermione had to get herself a separate container seeing that the Slytherin wouldn’t even consider sharing with her. They didn’t speak much, the past few days it had been difficult to find things  _ to _ talk about. Things were still...complicated.

Just as Hermione was going to speak up a small bell rang announcing that another person had entered the small cafe. When the two looked over to see who it was it was noticed that Tonks had come. To the Gryffindor this was fine, but it was a different story for Bellatrix. 

The last time the raven-haired woman had seen her niece was during the Battle of Hogwarts, where she killed her.

The situation only worsened when Nymphadora spotted Hermione and eagerly walked over to their table.

Bella forced herself to look down at her now empty container. In the distance, she could hear Hermione and Tonks chatting away happily but it all faded quickly as the memories of war played in her head. How could she have killed her niece?  _ Andromeda may have been disowned but we don’t kill our own family?! _

“And how are you fairing Aunt Bella?” The voice roused her from the thoughts that swarmed in her head, now forcing her to pay attention to the two others.

“Oh, um, I...I’m fine.”

“That’s good. Hermione tells me that you two have been getting along, yes?”

“Yeah, I suppose.” 

“That’s also good to hear.”

Despite the Hufflepuff seemingly trying to strike up a conversation Bellatrix barely was able to focus, her mind always drifting back to the previous thoughts. She’d best save this for another time.

“I’m sorry would you please excuse me.” Without an explanation, Bellatrix raised from her chair before heading to the door.

Some things took time, and this was one of those things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feel free to follow my Tumblr @bellatrix0818


End file.
